Royston Tan starts own film co

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SINGAPORE -- Singaporean director Royston Tan has set up his own film production house -- 10twentyeight -- after leaving his position as in-house director of Zhao Wei Films.

"I needed new challenges and wanted to move out of my comfort zone there," Tan said in an interview. The name of his company, which will produce feature-length and short films as well as TV commercials, is a reference to the day last year he decided to strike out on his own (Oct. 28).

Tan is completing the script of his first project, an as-yet-untitled feature. Shooting is set to start March 30, and Tan hopes the film will be ready for an August release. Raintree Pictures is a co-investor in the project.

The love story will star Mindee Ong and Qi Yu Wu Qi, who both starred in Tan's last film with Zhao Wei Films, "881."

Tan has been hailed as one of the most promising young directors in Singapore. His first full-length feature, "15," won the Netpac Fipresci World Critic Award at the Singapore international film festival and also had a special jury award from the Deauville Asian Film Festival.

Zhao Wei Films is an independent production house headed by film director Eric Khoo.